Epilogue
Brendan hated the thought of getting out of bed. It was cold outside, and he was warm pressed against Lucas. January was always a slow month at the stables. The air outside was frigid at times, and the last thing he wanted to do was go out there.
He groaned as he slipped out of bed, dressed quickly, and left the room.
He poured his coffee and sipped it, then dressed in warm clothes and checked his phone.
It had taken a while, but Greg had messaged after he’d gone to bed that Jenn had filed a discontinuance, and the court had accepted it, meaning that her custody appeal had been dropped.
He also added that court dates had been set for Henry and Jenn’s mother in relation to the vandalism.
So a sad chapter in his life was finally coming to an end.
Though he had to admit that it had brought Lucas into his life, so every cloud did have a silver lining.
His boots crunched on the snow as he made his way to the goat house, fed them, and checked that they had open water.
Hopefully, this kind of weather wouldn’t last too much longer.
It was unseasonably cold, and he needed it to warm up a little.
It would be so much easier on all his animals.
The goats ate right away and seemed in good health, so he moved on to the chickens.
They clucked from their coop as he spread feed for them and got fresh water.
They weren’t laying eggs at the moment, which was fine.
They needed all their energy to keep warm.
Once that was done, he slid open the stable door, went inside, and closed it behind him quickly. It was significantly warmer inside, and he pushed his hood back. “Morning,” he said quietly, and went through the stalls, adding hay to the mangers and checking that they all had plenty of water.
“Hey, Brendan,” Jayanne said as she strode into the barn. “How is everything?” She stopped by each morning before going on to school to take care of Princess and the colt she had named Patches Jameson. Needless to say, his son had been over the moon.
“Good.” He smiled as she bit her lower lip. “What is it?”
“Well, Mom and I have been talking. She and I have decided that we’re going to sell Patches.
I know it’s early, and we wouldn’t wean him from his mother for a few more months, but we were wondering if you would want to buy him…
for Jameson. He’s a beautiful animal, and I think his conformation is amazing.
” She sounded like a salesperson. “Before we talked to anyone else, we wanted to give you the option.”
“I appreciate it. And yes, I’d be interested. Tell your mom that when she gets the chance, we can sit down and work out a price for him.” He smiled, and she seemed more than thrilled. “But why sell him?”
“Mom is concerned about the cost, and if you bought him, then I could continue to see him and watch him grow up here at the barn. That’s all I wanted. Princess is my horse, and she will be for a long time. This way, Jameson gets his horse too.”
“He’s going to be very happy.” He watched as she went to the largest stall, where Princess and Patches were. Brendan left her with them and got back to work.
The house was still quiet an hour later when he went back inside. It was Saturday, so he let them sleep. Jameson was growing up so fast, and Brendan wasn’t sure he was ready for it. Soon, he’d be ready to start school.
Brendan took eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator and got breakfast started.
He knew the best way to get both of them to stir was the scent of food.
However, the first one down was Rags. He bounded into the kitchen, skidding to a stop at his bowl before looking expectantly up at Brendan, who measured his food and put it in the dish.
The plan had been for Jameson to feed and care for him, but as Brendan quickly found, he was the one to feed him most of the time.
Lucas stumbled into the kitchen a few minutes later and sat at the table, his eyes bleary as Brendan handed him a full mug. “How can you be so chipper every morning? You get up at the buttcrack of dawn, and yet you’re so damned happy about it.”
Brendan grinned and stood behind Lucas, running his hands over his shoulders and then under his shirt. “Maybe it’s you who makes me happy. Did you ever think of that?” He nuzzled his cheek before plucking his nipples and then sliding his hands away.
Lucas sighed and stood, tugging Brendan into a kiss. “You’re the one who makes me happy, each and every day. Especially when you let me sleep in after a particularly athletic evening.”
Brendan blushed, but smiled as well. “I love you,” Brendan whispered. It wasn’t the first time he had said it, but each time he did, the words came with the flutter of excitement. Just like the very first time.
“And I love you.”
Brendan snickered. “Good. Now please take Rags for a walk.” It was a standing joke. Rags was maybe fourteen pounds, and his huge boyfriend was so gentle with him. “And when you come back inside, I’ll have breakfast ready.” He paused.
“What?” Lucas asked.
“Well, my mother is coming this afternoon to take Jameson for the night. So you and I will have the entire house to ourselves. But before we can have our fun, we have to have the chores done.”
Lucas slipped away and hurried to the mud room. “Come on, Rags. We got lots to do.” He put him on his leash, and soon they were outside.
Brendan called Jameson, who came downstairs a few minutes later.
He poured Jameson some juice and then got him a plate of bacon and eggs.
He made up ones for himself and Lucas as soon as he returned from walking the dog, and then the three of them sat at the table, with Rags sprawled out under it, for a family breakfast.
“Daddy, are you and Lucas going to have another baby?” Jameson asked. “You could hire a mommy. Leslie at school said so.”
Brendan nearly choked on his bacon. “Not...,” he said through coughs, “…right now.” He took Lucas’s hand under the table. “You, me, Lucas, and Rags… that’s our family.”
“It’s enough for me,” Lucas added as he squeezed Brendan’s hand.
“Me too.” And everything he could hope for.